Re[2]: FLUFF stuff - Other glowing things

[Ruth Weiner <rfweine@sandia.gov>]

     Small correction: the substrate for luciferase is luciferin rather 
     than ATP.  Many years ago I was a postdoc in Bill McElroy's "firefly 
     lab" at Johns Hopkins.
     
     Ruth Weiner
     sandia National Labs
     rfweine@sandia.gov


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: FLUFF stuff - Other glowing things
Author:  carlisles@aecl.ca at hubsmtp
Date:    6/24/98 2:07 PM


The bioluminescence is caused by an enzyme (luciferase) breaking down 
ATP, the molecule that is used as a source of energy in biological 
processes.  The same reaction makes fireflies glow, and is used in 
luminescent lights (I think they're called Cyalume, but I'm not 
certain).
     
I agree that "natural" should not be equated with "safe", and would hope 
that toxicity testing would be required before approving the use of 
luciferase in cosmetics and food. I would expect the luciferase would be 
broken down during digestion, like most other proteins - as long as they 
have tested for this, and for allergenicity, I wouldn't be too worried 
about eating the stuff.
     
     
Sara M. Carlisle
Radiation Biology and Health Physics Branch 
AECL, Chalk River Laboratories
Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0
Canada
     
phone (613) 584-8811 extn 3667
fax        (613) 584-1713
email   carlisles@aecl.ca
     
> ----------
> From:      Bernadette Baca[SMTP:Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us] 
> Sent:      Wednesday, June 24, 1998 1:09 AM
> To:      Multiple recipients of list
> Subject:      FLUFF stuff - Other glowing things 
>
> EEWWW....... then
> HHMMM??????..........
>
> Here's a copy of an article from one of my electronic news services. 
> It talks about the soon to be explored possibility of
> "bioluminescent" food additives.  Even though it is considered
> "natural" I'm still not sure it'll be too good for humans.  I'm not 
> sure I want my family to find out I've been the one raiding the
> cookie jar.
>
> *** Wide role for fishy light source?
> Light-emitting enzymes from jellyfish and shrimp could be used to
> make glow-in-the-dark cosmetics, beverages, yogurt and cake icing, a 
> team of scientists and doctors said Monday. Officials with Prolume
> Ltd., of Pittsburgh, demonstrated their "bioluminescent" additives at 
> an exposition sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists in
> Atlanta. The company said it has cloned the genes which make sea
> creatures glow, creating light-emitting proteins which could also be 
> used to make cancer cells or tumors visible. Prolume President Gene 
> Finley said the proteins are safe for use as a food colorant because 
> they are made from natural sources found in marine life. (Reuters)
>
> Now here's our chance to really glow. 
>
>
> Bernadette Baca
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
> TDH - Bureau of Radiation Control
> Uranium Licensing Project
> 1100 West 49th
> Austin, TX 78756 - 3189
> (512) 834 - 6688  ext: 2206
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
>
> -My supervisor has not read or approved this message,
> much less agrees with my point of view.  Therefore, use at your own 
> risk and humor.
>
> mailto:Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us 
>
> "Beneath this chaos is a really big mess." - Jim Davis 
>